


Mirror Image

by Petrolheadgirl1



Series: Darkest Day One-Shots [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Background characters - Freeform, Fleshing out Rose and Lysandre's characters, I Don't Even Know, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I am SO sorry!, I had to write this!, Mentions of Nightmares, Mentions of the Kalos Crisis, Minor Character Appearances - Freeform, One Shot, Rose gives me Lysandre vibes!, What Was I Thinking?, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:41:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27194570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petrolheadgirl1/pseuds/Petrolheadgirl1
Summary: "It's scary what a smile can hide..."He knew just then and there, Chairman Rose's true intentions.The warm smile didn't fool him.He wasn't falling for it because he knew behind that smile was a dangerous man. One that couldn't be trusted.After all, they were both the two sides of the same card; only distorted reflections of each other with a thin line separating them.
Series: Darkest Day One-Shots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1991944
Comments: 12
Kudos: 69





	Mirror Image

**Author's Note:**

> Bugger!
> 
> Rose just gives me to many Lysandre vibes I had to do a one-shot on it. I am sorry, but dang. I had to write a one-shot on it.
> 
> (Aka known as Lysandre (The one from Family Tales) and Rose meeting each other.) If you have no idea who that Lysandre is, we'll its a long story and very complicated. 
> 
> Let's just say in what I used to write Lysandre was Ash's dad. (As I said, confusing. But hey, you don't like, don't read.)
> 
> I just have to do this one-shot, blame the darn preview of episode 43 from Journeys. Please don't, kill me. I just had to do this.
> 
> Let's start this disaster!

' _A liar knows that he is a liar, but one who speaks mere portions of truth in order to deceive is a craftsman of destruction.' -Criss Jami_

* * *

"And this is Chairman Rose!" Ash excitedly introduced the tall tan-skinned figure lingering behind him with a wave of his arms.

"It's a honor to finally meet you, Lysandre. Ash and his friends have spoken highly of you so far," the man in question took a step forward near the video phone while laying a hand on the kid's shoulder, "I believe you used to own Lysandre Labs."

Lysandre simply smiled, leaning back sightly on his end as he stared at group over the screen, "Yes, I did. But that is behind me, I prefer the simpler things in life now."

"That's a shame," replied Rose, still keeping his smile, "But understandable after what happened."

Lysandre didn't reply to that. He only turned to Ash, Serena and Goh, "How is your journey so far? Professor Cerise sent me a message that you went to Galar to investigate Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing."

"There is something strange happening," muttered Ash, "Pokemon are just going big, we don't know what's going on. Chairman Rose is helping us figure out why."

"Oh?" Lysandre quirked an intrigued eyebrow at Chairman Rose, who chuckled, "I do whatever I can to aid. Champion Leon seems to have high regard for Ash, I trust him and his friends that they can be a great help for our cause."

Lysandre gave a low hum at that. It probably wasn't as casual as he usually would've pretended it to be but gave a slight cough before looking down at his watch, "I'm sorry I have to end this conversation short but I have other business to attend to."

"Ah, that's a disappointment. I was hoping we could talk more," Rose seemed to sigh and smiled, "Maybe one day we could have another discussion in person."

"Perhaps... " Lysandre looked away from Rose, on favor of smirking at Serena and Goh, "Keep Ash out of trouble you two."

"I'm not that bad!" moaned Ash, his shoulder sagging. The deadpans from Goh, Lysandre and Serena said it all, "Most of the time."

Lysandre shook his head, amused and gave a final farewell to the group. He spared a quick, unnoticeable glance at Rose before placing the phone back and cutting the connection, the screen going blank.

He just sat there for a few seconds, leaning back ever so slightly.

While Ash, Serena and Goh were oblivious to Chairman Rose, Lysandre knew one thing.

He was looking at himself. 

Rose was exactly like him, he hid the chaos and darkness behind those dull eyes with a warm smile.

It was to manipulate and fool those who were lesser. To hide the truth and lie so smoothly without being suspected of ill intent.

But behind those eyes was a sick and twisted mind, Lysandre knew it. He became this. He was this. Sometimes he still is when he allowed his anger to best him.

He had learned to bury those thoughts into a dark corner of his mind and only allow the memories of his family to soothe him.

But Rose...

Perhaps it was simply the way he said it, but Rose seemed to linger on Ash's name each time he spoke over the call, bright eyes locking on him for a moment. But just as quickly his gaze turned away, to look at the screen again.

That was it. That's all that Lysandre needed, those few seconds is all it took for him to realize Rose's true intentions. 

Rose wanted Ash. 

_No._ He didn't just want Ash. He _needed_ Ash for something. 

Lysandre curled his lip and pushed himself away from the desk, ignoring the unsettling feeling in his gut. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. 

He allowed himself this _one_ time to think back to the Kalos Crisis.

To remember his cruel actions he took that day, from hearing Ash's pained screams over the pulsing Mega Evolution energy to the battle on Prism Tower. To feeling the power of controlling the Megalith in his veins, how it overflowed in his mind.

He was so high, so disoriented that he didn't think straight. It drove his obsession to the point of madness.

All he remembered was pain afterwards, after the attack. How his body had burned; the feeling of being crushed followed and how it left as quickly as it came. 

He still had nightmares of that, how he would sometimes wake up in sweat. Fearing he was _that_ Lysandre again. 

Sometimes it was worse, he would be standing in the middle of a burning city, staring at himself and a glowing red Ash while everything around them smelled of death. _That_ Lysandre scared him to his core. 

While the dreams became less and less over time, they were still there. That fear was still there. A fear to wake up... and everything was just a dream. His family, his second chance with Ash, and his learning to be in peace nothing more than a fantasy. He'd sometimes fear waking up to be _that_ Lysandre. 

That who Rose was... he was _him_. He felt he staring at himself with a mask but under the skin, they were the same person. They were two sides of the same card, mirror images of each other with only a thin line separating them.

They were both liars, they knew how to get what they want and how to cause destruction with simple words. They were both mad. They were both sick. 

There was only one difference and it was the thin separating them, Rose had yet to become insane.

But it was going to be crossed soon and Rose will truly become _him_. 

Lysandre opened his eyes, glaring at the screen. Rose was dangerous, he wanted chaos and was somehow planning to make Ash the center of it all.

But Lysandre would be damned if he sat around here with his legs crossed while his kid was in danger. 

"Delia, we are going to Galar!" suddenly announced Lysandre, squaring his shoulders as if adjusting an invisible weight that just settled on it. 

He gave a final look to the phone's screen, the image of Rose's smile at Ash burned in his mind while the distorted blackness gave an eerie reflection.

"You have made a fatal mistake my friend," he spoke in a soft murmur, before turning away and walking to his room to pack, "I know my own face when I see it."

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so not my best writing but I just had to get this idea out of my head. Especially since seeing the preview yesterday with Ash and Rose.
> 
> It's just Rose is like a big freaking beacon, he just screams 'Lysandre' and 'Team Flare' all over again. While I have no idea on the games and what he does, I know he is gonna pull off a Lysandre somewhere.
> 
> If he doesn't I'll eat my own hat.
> 
> Hence why this little terrible written one-shot came to life.
> 
> Anyways, tell me what you think!
> 
> Petrolheadgirl1 drifting away!


End file.
